The effect of chelating agents added to nutrient solutions on plants growing in these solutions was investigated. Chelating chemicals used were: 8-hydroxyquinoline (oxine), sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (carbamate), sodium 1:8 dihydroxynaphthalene 3:6 disulphonate (chromatropic salt), sodium 1-nitroso-2-naphthol 3:6 disulphonate (nitroso-R-salt), tetrahydroxyanthraquinone (quinalizarin), and hydroxy-benzoic acid (salicylic acid). Germination and seedling studies with tomato, pea, bean, corn, and radish, and water culture tests with tomatoes, using various concentrations of the chelating agents, are described, and plant responses to these reagents examined. Iron was the only metal ion effectively removed from solution at low concentrations of oxine, carbamate, nitroso-R-salt, and quinalizarin. Iron was not effectively chelated by either chromatropic salt or salicylic acid. Concentrations of chelating agents in which plants would grow did not chelate metal ions effectively, while concentrations of chelating agents which chelated effectively produced severe plant injury. This injury resulted from heavy metals being extracted from the root cells. Since effective chelation in the nutrient solution results in severe plant injury, the use of such agents in nutrient solutions in direct contact with the roots of growing plants is not a feasible method of controlling trace metal contamination in such solutions.